A Margin Account is a type of brokerage account that allows investors to borrow money from their broker to purchase securities. The advantage of a margin account over a cash account is that the investor only needs to put up a portion of the purchase price, or "margin," while the broker loans the rest.The disadvantage of a margin account is that if the value of the securities purchased declines, the investor may be required to provide additional funds, or "margin calls." If an investor fails to meet a margin call, his or her position in the security may be sold at a loss by the broker.Despite these risks, many investors find that trading on margins can help them achieve their investment goals more quickly than they could without using leverage.